Pillars of Flame
by eikothewerewolf
Summary: Arc: Twilight of the Spirits. Lillia is kidnapped. Darc, Kharg and Samson have to track her down.
1. Chapter 1

**PILLARS OF FLAME**

**_Rating: _**PG  
**_Genre: _**action, vague bit of detectoring  
**_Setting:_** an island  
**_Main Characters:_** Darc, Kharg, Lilia, Samson

**_Note from the authoress: _**I know that Samson has died. But I love him so much so I performed ritual and brought him back from the dead. Just so he could join the others in this story

**_Part 1_**

It was a day like any other. But most day that are about to go horribly wrong start out like any other. it's a fact of life. Darc had travelled to Yewbell that day. It was what may be called a reunion in the small town. He entered the town and was greeted with the usual attitude. Although the humans had started to accept Deimos, the sight of a half human and half Deimos still had the effect of disturbing them. He felt a wave of jealousy as he looked across the square and saw his twin brother Kharg. Kharg had it easy, he looked completely human. Except for one time when he sprouted wings from his back he was never shunned, insulted and rejected, as Darc had been. He swallowed his jealousy though. Nafia, his mother had requested as she died that Darc shouldn't hate Kharg. He didn't know why he wanted to carry out her last wish; in his mind she had deserted him. But some part of him couldn't help it. If he was truly honest with himself he would admit that part of him wanted to allow him to be accepted by a mother who, he assumed, had abandoned him because he didn't look human himself. He walked across to Kharg, treating a couple of villages to an evil look as he went. He nodded in acknowledgement to Kharg, who forced a smile. Kharg hated Darc as well, in the end. Nafia had insisted that he try to get long with the Deimos, saying that not all of them were bad. Kharg had tried to get along with his brother. But no matter what they tried they ended up in conflict. Before either of the brothers could address the other, a voice shouted out happily.

"Darc! You're here!" before Darc could respond someone had run up and embraced him. He hated being in positions like this. He had no idea how to react. The woman who had hugged him was Lilia. She had saved his life before, when Delma had attacked him, seeking revenge for the death of her brother. Darc liked Lilia, even though she was a human. He would never admit it if he was asked though, and he went out of his way to prove that he didn't like her. He gazed across the square, embarrassed, when she let him go, eyes fixing on a man wearing a hat. And a long coat, both coloured brightly in blue with red and yellow trim. It was Samson, Lilia's father. He was paying little attention to the three. Lilia now spoke to Kharg.

"Have you told Darc yet?" Darc turned to Lilia.

"Told me what?" Lilia was obviously happy, she glanced at Kharg, then immediately, without waiting for a sign to allow her to tell Darc, launched into the reason why she was so happy.

"We're having a party! It was Paulette's idea, she thought it would be fun since you and your friends were visiting again! Its tonight, up in the church ruins!" She hit hi arm playfully "Aren't you excited?" Darc gazed at the entrance to the ruins. That was where his mother was buried. Where he had buried her. He smiled vaguely.

"Sounds like fun" he said.

It was later that night. The party was in full swing. Everyone was having fun. Lilia had sung several songs for them, and there was plenty of food and drink to go around. It was nearing midnight. Lilia was chatting animatedly to Kharg and Darc. She ran her hand through her hair and excused herself suddenly.

"I just have to go to the pub. I promised a friend that I would meet him there." Kharg immediately showed suspicion.

"At midnight? That's a bit late isn't it? Maybe one of us should go with you." Lilia laughed.

"You boys worry too much! Its ok, I'm meeting a good friend of mine. He couldn't make it much before midnight." Kharg and Darc felt uneasy. Lilia had been the target of abduction before now, yet this time she wouldn't allow them to join her to meet her friend. Darc watched her leave the ruins, heading back into town. The party was starting to break up now, people starting to get tired, and the night turning colder. Kharg spoke, almost as if trying to reassure himself,

"Well, its not like much can happen to her in the middle of town." Darc agreed silently, as they headed back to Nafia's house.

The door nearly fell off its hinges with the force Samson threw it open. It made Darc, who was standing in the small kitchen, jump.  
"Where is she?" Samson demanded. Kharg came out of his room yawning.

"Wha's goin' on?" he muttered sleepily. Samson looked from one to the other.

"Lilia's missing. She never went back to the inn last night." This statement woke up Kharg completely. Darc spoke.

"She headed to the inn just before midnight." he said. Samson shook his head.

"Well, she never arrived." Kharg and Darc exchanged uneasy glances. This didn't look to good.

END OF PART 1


	2. Chapter 2

**PILLARS OF FLAME**

**_Rating: _**PG  
**_Genre: _**action, vague bit of detectoring  
**_Setting_**: an island  
**_Main Characters_**: Darc, Kharg, Lilia, Samson

**_Note from the authoress: _**I know that Samson has died. But I love him so much so I performed ritual and brought him back from the dead. Just so he could join the others in this story

_**Part 2**_

Kharg and Darc ran to the inn, determined to prove to themselves that Lilia had gone back there the night before. But to no avail. The inn had no one besides a man, a relation of the woman who generally ran the inn, he was there while the owner was away visiting a sick relative in Cathena. He assured the brothers that Lilia had not returned the previous night. Darc sat down heavily on a nearby chair.

"Dammit! This is all your fault Kharg!" he growled angrily. Kharg turned on Darc

"My fault! How can it be my fault!" Darc glared at Kharg before replying, in an incredibly sarcastic tone, with the words Kharg had uttered the night before

"Its not like much can happen to her in the middle of town" Kharg shook with anger at Darc's imitation.

"Perhaps you should have taken it upon yourself to follow her, since you obviously don't trust me. This is as much your fault as it is mine" the door slammed shut behind them, suddenly, causing the brothers to jump. As one, they both turned to face the door. Standing in front, half in shadow, half in light, was Samson, a grave look on his face, and a frustration glowing in his eyes. He spoke to the brothers, slowly and softly.

"Listen, you can stand here arguing about who's fault it is that my daughter has disappeared, or you can help me track her down! Which will it be" feeling guilty Kharg and Darc glanced at each other before answering at the same time, assuring Samson that they would assist him in finding Lilia.

Ten minutes later Kharg and Darc were walking the town, asking all those who had attended the party the night before if they had seen Lilia the night before. But nobody in Yewbell had seen her. Within an hour they both collapsed at the inn, having spoken to everyone and found no trace of Lilia. Samson joined them soon after, anxious for any leads they might have found. They shook there heads at his questioning look, and told him that they had found out nothing from their search. Samson paced around in front of them.

"She can't have just vanished! Somebody must have seen her! Did she say anything before she left last night?"

Kharg shook his head softly, but Darc sat up, suddenly alert.

"She said she was meeting a friend at the inn." the other two looked at Darc, before turning their gaze slowly to the inns welcoming front.

"He said she hadn't returned there."

"But her friend may have shown up. We should ask." the three entered the inn, for the second time that day. Kharg approached the man behind the counter.

"Did anyone else enter the inn last night?" The man gazed at them for a few moments before shaking his head.

"no, nobody came here last night" Kharg thanked him and turned around, about to say something, when he noticed the look on Darc's face. Darc's eyes were narrowed, and he glared at the man for a moment, before muttering, just loud enough for Kharg to hear

"He's lying." Kharg shook his head hopelessly, dragging his brother out of the inn.

"You just don't trust anyone." He said, wearily. Darc focused his attention on his brother

"I mean it. He was lying, I'm willing to bet anything." Kharg shook his head.

"Ok, so suppose he was lying, what exactly does that prove?"

"That someone did show up last night. We have to find out who, and where they are now!" Kharg gave a laugh

"And, pray tell, my naïve brother, how exactly do you plan on going about that. Whoever was there is long gone by now." Darc shook his head.

"I don't know, but somehow we have to find out!" Samson listened to all of this, a smile spreading over his face. He turned and walked back into the inn. The other two noticed him go, and stood to follow him. As they entered the inn they stopped in amazement. Samson held the man by his collar, and was holding the gun at his head. As they watched he hissed something in the mans ear. The man whimpered and then cried out

"Ok, I'll tell you all I know! Just don't shoot me!"

"Excellent" Samson drawled, lowering the man, but keeping his gun trained on him. The man was sobbing in fear as he started to talk.

"A woman came in around midnight, she said she was there to meet Lilia. I told her Lilia hadn't returned, and she got annoyed. She forced me not to tell anyone but Lilia that she had been here, before leaving. She said something about the forest past the ruins. I swear that's all I know!" The brothers exchanged glances.

"The forest?" questioned Kharg.

"Yes, she said that when Lilia returned to tell her that she was in the forest. Only Lilia never returned."

Darc grinned slightly.

"looks like we're heading to the forest then. Kharg nodded and the trio left the inn, walking across town to the ruins.

END OF PART 2


End file.
